Wedge for tool handles



Jul 15,v 1947. H, LA FRANCE 2,423,893

WEDGE FOR TOOL HANDLES Filed Dec. 14, 1945 FIG-.4.

HENRY LA FRANCE Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEDGEFOR TOOL HANDLES Henry La France, Rumford, Maine Application December14, 1945, Serial No. 635,022

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to Wedges for tool handles and particularly towedges for axe handles, the principal object being to provide a deviceof this class that may be easily and quickly inserted into the axehandle and likewise quickly removed therefrom when replacement of thesaid handle becomes necessary.

Another object is to construct a wedge which has the above advantagesyet is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of an axe head with thehandle inserted through the eye therein and with my invention shown inplace in the said handle.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken at 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view taken at 33 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a full scale perspective of my device in open position.

At I is indicated the usual type of axe head which has the opening oreye for insertion of the handle 2. With an ordinary hand saw or othersuitable tool, a tapering slot, such as 3, is cut in the end of thehandle which is to fit into the eye.

The wedge is made of sheet metal of a suitable thickness and is stampedin the shape of a pair of semi-circular discs which are joined at thecenter of their arcuate sides and then bent at their joined edges intoparallel alignment thus forming a split semi-circular disc as shown at4. Aligned openings 5 in the disc pieces, receive a rivet 6 which formsa hinge pin for the wedgeshaped member 1. The member 1 is preferablymade of cast or drop forge steel since it must be driven into place whenin use, by the blows of a hammer. At the end opposite the hinge, themember 7 has formed integral therewith an eyelet or ring indicated at 8.

In employing my device, the slot 3 is first made in the axe handle asabove described. The slotted end of the handle is then inserted in theusual manner through the eye in the axe head and the disc portion 4 ofmy device pressed into the slot, the point at which the discs are unitedentering first. When the disc portion is entirely within the slot, thewedge member 1 is swung upon its hinge pin until its thinnest edge hasentered between the exposed edges of the disc 2 members. Blows of ahammer upon the outer or thickest edge of the member 1 will then forceit into place between the discs, thus locking the handle within the axehead. 5 As frequently happens with lumbermen or wood choppers, an axlehandel is broken while in use at a location where no facilities are athand for quickly and easily removing the broken handle and replacing itwith a new one. With the use of my device the operation becomes verysimple and considerable time and effort are thereby saved.

To remove the handle, any suitable tool such as an ordinary screw drivermay be employed. The tool is merely inserted through the eyelet 8 and,used as a lever, the member 1 is easily extracted. By grasping themember 1, the disc portion of the device is quickly removed from theslot in the handle and the said handle may then be readily withdrawnfrom the eye in the axe head.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

In a Wedge for securing axe handles and the like in axe heads and thelike, the combination, which comprises a split substantiallysemi-circular wedge forming two segments integrally connected at anintermediate point of their curved edges, an inner wedge element adaptedfor insertion with a rotary movement between said segments, said innerwedge element having an ear extending at one end and positioned adjacentthe thick side forming the back thereof, and an eye extending from theback at the 0pposite end thereof, and a pin pivotally mounting saidinner wedge element through the extending ear thereof to one corner ofsaid segment positioning said inner wedge for insertion between thesegments with a rotary movement.

HENRY LA FRANCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 623,169 Marble Apr. 18, 1899740,583 Morrill Oct. 6, 1903 1,244,327 Hargrave Oct. 23, 1917

